There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Do you believe in life after death?
Is reincarnation something you think about often?
Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul into a new form or body after death. It doesn’t have to be human-to-human or animal-to-animal. Sometimes, humans can get reincarnated into an animal, a spirit, or a being that is far superior.
There is no clear and convincing evidence that reincarnation is real. However, this doesn’t automatically mean that it isn’t true. Many religious groups believe that it does occur.
In this article, we share with you a list of the best movies about reincarnation and coming back to life.
Regardless of the plot, these movies help you understand this esoteric concept. Let’s get to it!
What You Will Learn
1. Heaven Can Wait
Heaven Can Wait (1978) is the second film adaptation of Harry Segall’s play that bears the same name. The first one is Here Comes Mr. Jordan, released in 1941, and the third is Down to Earth, recently released in 2001. It is the story of a quarterback who accidentally dies. Although it is not yet his time, he can’t go back to his body because it has already been cremated.
Starring Warren Beatty as Joe Pendleton, this feel-good fantasy-comedy film makes a great choice for a fun Friday night with your friends or family. How do you accept the fact that you have died by mistake? Is heaven real, and do we all really have a destined time of death? If we want to live more and do the things that we have yet to accomplish, can heaven wait?
This movie, and especially its ending, will leave you with so many questions. But I guess that’s what makes it so good! We highly suggest you check this film out to understand more about the topic of reincarnation and coming back to life.
2. Dead Again
If you are in for a suspenseful and thrilling night, Dead Again is the right reincarnation movie to add to your list. Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson star as the main characters, and Robin Williams is in a supporting role.
Dead Again is the story of two people trapped in the cycle of murder, passion, and reincarnation. Branagh plays detective Mike Church in the present time, and Roman Strauss, a European composer, in the past. Thompson plays Grace, a woman who seems to have lost her memory at present, and Margaret Strauss, the victim of a 1948 murder case.
As the movie progresses, both characters discover that they are the reincarnated Strauss couple. Unresolved issues that happened in 1948 are relived, and Grace tries to prevent another murder. This movie will take you on a roller coaster of emotions—fear, excitement, and even a bit of anxious romance.
3. I Origins
I Origins will open your eyes to the limits of what science can’t control and religion can’t explain. It will make you wonder if the two can intersect, but will also leave you with questions, such as how you arrive at that specific intersection.
Starring Michael Pitt as a scientist focused on the evolution of the eye, I Origins tells the story of how humans are perhaps reincarnated. The evidence Pitt seeks to prove this is through the biometrics of our unique eyes. Many religions believe that the eye is the window to the soul. What if science could actually prove it?
4. Cloud Atlas
Movie expert Roger Ebert says that Cloud Atlas is “one of the most ambitious films ever made.” The storyline is exceptional and the production budget was huge. In fact, the film was one of the most expensive independent movies ever made.
The movie has multiple plots that occur in six different timelines. The cast includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Jim Broadbent playing multiple roles, and what is rather noteworthy is how their appearances in each timeline vary. Cloud Atlas even won the Best Editing and Best Make-Up Awards during the Saturn Awards.
In addition to exploring reincarnation, the main lesson that this movie teaches us is that we all thirst for true freedom. No matter how many times we live and reincarnate, we will always keep looking.
5. Chances Are
Chances Are stars Cybill Shepherd, Robert Downey, Jr., Ryan O'Neal, and Mary Stuart Masterson. It is a feel-good film that has a twist of romance, comedy, and drama.
Robert Downey Jr.’s exceptional performance as Louie Jeffries and Alex Finch really make the movie. The way he brings life to the character of a reincarnated dead husband and a young district attorney in this film is really phenomenal.
We recommend this film for those who want to share a good laugh with their friends, family, or special someone.
6. The Reincarnation of Peter Proud
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud is a psychological horror film that stars Michael Sarrazin, Margot Kidder, and Jennifer O’Neill. It is based on a novel (of the same name) written by Max Ehrlich. He was also the one who adapted it into a screenplay.
The movie tells the story of a university professor, Peter Proud, who is in search of the man in his dreams and nightmares. He keeps seeing the memory of a man with who he feels he has a deep connection. He eventually finds out that the man in his dreams is Jeff, a former tennis pro who was murdered by his wife, Marcia, after discovering that he has an affair with another woman.
We recommend this movie if you are looking for something classic that never gets old. While it has the theme of reincarnation, it is more focused on exploring what the human mind is capable of when trapped in difficult situations.
7. Birth
What would you do if a 10-year-old boy suddenly showed up saying that he was the reincarnation of your dead husband?
That is the plot of this psychological thriller. Sean, a 10-year-old boy, suddenly shows up at the engagement party of Anna and Joseph and claims that he is “Sean,” Anna’s dead husband.
If you are ready for a dark, brooding film, you might want to include this one on your list.
8. The Fountain
At first glance, this movie appears to be about reincarnation and coming back to life. But it might be more accurate to say that the movie tackles immortality—a life that never ends. We included it on this list to help demonstrate the difference between the two.
9. Madhumati
Madhumati is the oldest film on this list. Released in 1958, it still remains as one of the best Bollywood films of all time, so this black-and-white film is definitely worth a watch.
The movie’s plot is simple. Madhumati is a tribal woman who falls in love with the artist Anand. She dies at the hands of a bad man, Ugra Narain, but then reincarnates as Madhavi—a woman who Anand meets accidentally. Many centuries later, Anand and Madhumati are reincarnated into Devendra and Radha (husband and wife).
Of course, there is more to the story than that. The film portrays how Madhumati and Anand suffered at the hands of Ugra Narain’s, and how they eventually got their revenge.
10. A Dog’s Journey
A Dog’s Journey shows us that reincarnation doesn’t apply to humans alone. Even animals get reincarnated. Just look at Bailey the dog, who becomes Ellie, Tino, and eventually Buddy. His soul lived in different bodies, getting reincarnated every time he dies.
What we love about this film is that the main character finds a purpose in each lifetime it lives. It always discovers something new and learns important lessons.
Watch this film with your pet dogs and the whole family. We guarantee that you will love them even more after.
11. What Dreams May Come
Of course, a list of the best films (no matter the genre) is incomplete without a Robin Williams movie.
Although this movie does tackle reincarnation, the plot focuses more on heaven and hell and what they both encompass. Heaven, as it is portrayed, is a place where you can be who and what you want to be, while hell is a place for those who don’t know or can’t accept that they are dead.
The movie is quite emotional, thanks to the performances of Robin Williams and Anabella Sciorra.
Conclusion
With this list, we hope we were able to help you understand more about reincarnation and the afterlife. You may or may not believe in it, but either way, we hope that you were reminded that life is too precious for us to waste.
We do not have to wait for reincarnation to happen. We are living this life today, and we should find our happiness right now, in this moment.
